NEWS
TULSA, Okla. – The Honorable Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, gave the 2026 Judge Stephanie K. Seymour Lecture at the University of Oklahoma Tulsa campus. Hosted by the Federal Bar Association Northern/Eastern Oklahoma Chapter, the fireside chat was moderated by the Honorable Sara E. Hill, Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma.
“It is an extraordinary privilege to welcome Justice Sotomayor back to the University of Oklahoma,” said OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. “Few opportunities are more meaningful for our students and our community than hearing directly from someone whose life and career have shaped our nation at the highest levels. Her remarkable journey, her commitment to public service and her perspective on the law offer lessons that extend far beyond the courtroom, and we are deeply honored to have her with us in Tulsa.”
Justice Sotomayor was nominated as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court by President Barack Obama on May 26, 2009, and assumed the role on August 8, 2009. Prior to serving on the Supreme Court, she served on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. She earned her B.A. from Princeton and her J.D. from Yale Law School, where she served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal. She previously visited the OU College of Law in 2014, where she met with faculty, students and alumni during a visit hosted by President Harroz, then dean of the College of Law.
“The Northern/Eastern Oklahoma Chapter of the Federal Bar Association was pleased to welcome U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor as the featured speaker at the second annual Stephanie K. Seymour Lecture,” said Mary Quinn Cooper, Northern/Eastern Oklahoma Chapter of the Federal Bar Association Board Member. “The lecture series honors Judge Stephanie Seymour, the first woman appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Judge Seymour served with excellence as an appellate judge for over forty-six years.”
During Justice Sotomayor’s visit, she also spoke to a group of Oklahoma female professionals, law students from across the state, local children, and individuals rebuilding their lives after incarceration. “We are grateful to Justice Sotomayor for giving so much of her time during her visit to Tulsa,” said Cooper.
Judge Hill, who moderated the lecture, has served on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma since 2024. She was previously the attorney general of the Cherokee Nation and the tribe’s secretary of natural resources. She earned her B.A. from Northeastern State University and her J.D. from the University of Tulsa College of Law.
The Judge Stephanie K. Seymour Lecture was established to celebrate the career and legacy of Judge Seymour.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and healthcare needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.
The University of Oklahoma has received a transformative gift from Jon and Shannon McCartney, which will name the McCartney Family Tunnel of Champions, the McCartney Family Gate of the Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium and the McCartney Family Grand Lecture Hall in the Michael F. Price College of Business. The gift will also support the Inspiring Champions and the Athletic Director’s Discretionary Fund, in addition to establishing the McCartney DFW Career Trek program at Price College.
The University of Oklahoma today celebrated the opening of a new air traffic control tower at the OU Max Westheimer Airport. Standing 106 feet tall, more than double the current 52-foot facility, the new tower will modernize air traffic control operations and improve safety for pilots and students operating in the airspace.
Do I buy groceries or pay the electric bill? Should I pawn some of my belongings to afford my prescription? My child is sick, so I will have to miss work to take care of him. Those are just a few of the difficult choices that OU-Tulsa health professional students confronted during the Community Access to Resources Experience. The role-playing activity challenged students to navigate the financial, family and other pressures that can affect a person’s health and ability to follow medical advice. Held annually during the SCM Institute orientation week, the experience is designed to generate understanding and build empathy.
